Book a utility invoice
Utility invoices (water, electricity, gas, heat) are booked as normal purchase invoices, then marked as Utility. The costs then appear in Cost allocation, ready to distribute later based on meter readings.
When to use this
Use this when:
- You receive an invoice from a utility supplier (Peppol or manual)
- The cost should be distributed later by consumption, not immediately via a fixed distribution key
- The invoice should stay under Distribute later until meter readings are ready
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| Building selected | The invoice belongs to one building |
| Supplier linked | Needed for grouping in Cost allocation |
| Invoice not a draft | Draft invoices cannot be distributed via a utility distribution key |
Mark the supplier as a utility supplier
Go to Financial > building > Suppliers > detail panel > Mark as utility supplier. See Configure supplier settings.
Steps
1. Open or create the purchase invoice
- Peppol: Invoices > Peppol Inbox > Convert invoice
- Manual: create a new purchase invoice for the building and supplier
2. Mark as utility
In the invoice form, under Other:
- Turn on the Utility toggle
- Fill in the cost lines (ledger account, amount, …)
- Leave allocation open or choose Distribute later if you are not ready to allocate yet
3. Save the invoice
After saving, the cost appears under Financial > Invoices > Cost allocation for that building, often under Distribute later or in a supplier group.
What happens next?
| Situation | Next step |
|---|---|
| Meter readings not ready yet | Cost stays under Distribute later |
| Meter readings ready | Register a utility distribution key and distribute by consumption |
| Fixed cost (no meter) | Distribute with a normal distribution key |
Important
- The invoice date may fall after the consumption period. You set the consumption period on the utility distribution key, not via the invoice date.
- An opening balance without a supplier cannot be linked to a utility distribution key that is pinned to a supplier. Prefer booking utility consumption on an invoice with the correct supplier.
Related articles
- Enter meter readings
- Distribute utility costs by meter
- Configure supplier settings
- Convert a Peppol invoice
Need help?
Contact our team at info@sndq.be or use the Get Help option in the SNDQ application.